By Sarah Brill
With finals looming on the horizon, and my Disney trip only a few short weeks in the past, I sometimes wish I could travel back to the world where no responsibilities or obligations lurked over my head. Maybe that is what makes Disney so appealing, especially to the collegiate population. Sometimes that escape is needed, to help you avoid reality– until it hits you in the gut when you leave.
When you pass through those arches outside of Disney World, the child inside of you explodes with excitement. In a few short moments you will be riding the monorail to Epcot or the Magic Kingdom to take part in adventures through space and time. You can explore the various cultures of the world in Epcot’s showcase, live in your fantasy while flying high on an elephant, or even go on an adventure to defeat bloodthirsty crocodiles. Whatever your vibe is, Disney World has it. While Epcot and Magic Kingdom are the park’s main attractions, sections such as Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios allow us to escape to a whole new world (pun intended). So why is Disney World so addictive to most of us?
Many parents and older adults may dread Disney for the steep price that must be paid in order to gain access into the park. For those who don’t mind the expense, Disney is a wonderfully magical experience like none other. It is a perfect utopia. If a utopia could exist, it would be this place. We find Disney World addictive for the same reason that we are drawn to entertainment.
Disney taps into the emotion that everyone longs for: happiness. It digs deep into our most child-like instincts and allows us to rid ourselves of the negative atmosphere that surrounds our lives. When you enter Disney, you feel a sense of happiness, security, and self-satisfaction just knowing that the world is outside and you no longer have to think about it.
The firework show is the pinnacle of Disney’s Magic Kingdom because not only does it display an array of colors and a concept of creation and innovation, but it also instills a sense of hope within those watching. Throughout the day you wander through the park, waiting on lines, getting that spark of butterflies in your stomach everytime you see a character– but it all adds up to that moment when the magic must end, and the firework show does just that; it prepares us for what awaits us when we leave the fairytale land we call Disney World. The fireworks show tells us that when we leave the park’s gates and enter back into the realities of world, we can accomplish whatever we want to achieve: We can change the world if we want to. That Disney magic gives us a little motivation, or that last push we needed in order to really see our true potential.
To a child, the fireworks show is just a projection with some colors illuminating the night sky, but to adults (and college students), the firework show represents themes such as good versus evil and the triumph of our own imagination. Disney World just reinforces what we already know about magic and inspiration: its ability to transport us to a different world full of imagination and innovation.
So in the spirit of escaping to a world of endless possibilities, attached below is the Disney firework show. I hope you find inspiration in it as I have.
To see the firework show online, click here.